Charles Fran Kenney

Charles “Fran” Kenney (1919 – 2014) was born in Boston, Massachusetts and came from a long line of downeast seafarers, ship masters, owners, and builders. He studied oil painting at an early age under the direction of well-known Rockport artist Margaret Fizhue Brown and, at the urging of his father, he focused his talents almost entirely on marine art.

After serving with the United States Coast Guard in World War II, Kenney studied art in Boston, which led to a successful career as a commercial artist. His realistic interpretation and thorough research of ships and seas have led his paintings to be displayed in leading commercial galleries and museums throughout the country and his work has been reproduced on calendars and prints. Among his commissions are those from the Raytheon Corporation, the U.S. Navy Department and the Hartford Insurance company. He was a Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists.